This invention relates to an air bag device installed inside the dashboard on the passenger side of an automobile.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 3-39326 (1991) and No. 5-213132 (1993) disclose a type of air bag device that protects people in a vehicle during impact by providing a cover for the outer surface of the air bag. Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 4-55149 (1992) discloses a type of air bag device that has a piece of cloth installed between the air bag module cover and the air bag.
In the above two examples, however, the air bags are provided only for the drivers. Also, the external covers are intended to reduce the impact on the drivers, and thus do not control the friction of the deploying bag. The latter example, especially, simply prevents direct contact between the air bag and the module cover and does not facilitate smooth deployment of the bag or maintain a certain level of friction between the air bag and interior elements of the automobile.